Clover lawns

[timo4352 147]

I've recently become aware that the thickest, greenest, nicest looking area of my lawn contains a lot of clover. After kind of jokingly threatening to my wife that I was going to plant a clover lawn - I started researching it. It turns out that clover is actually good for the lawn. It self fertilizes. Needs little water. The clover chokes out weeds and fills in bare spots. Micro clover seems to be the way to go because in grows fewer white flowers.

I'm really diggin' the idea and I'm gonna try it on my whole lawn. It really looks good. Nice and green when the clover-free area of the lawn looks like crap.

Anybody else out there cultivating clover instead of killing it?

Turns out the seed is not inexpensive, but fertilizer and weed killer is way expensive nowadays too.

Edited September 26, 2013 by timo4352

[specialwheelhorse 174]

Yep It fixes Nitrogen in the soil.

And that's exactly why we used to rotate crops on the farm

in north west Ohio.Clover was always the last crop just before corn.

And we set a record one year in our area that I'm sure has been

broken by now.Well over 200 bushels an acre.

We raised a lot of big red and sweet clover neither you need but

There are many short tight clovers that would make a very nice lawn.

[AMC RULES 37,141]

Lots of it in my back yard this year too...the bee's were loving it. 

[farmer 1,075]

No reason at all not to have a clover lawn, like Special  said some farmers encourage it, being very deep rooted it can cope better with dry spells, tough to kill out of a sward too. The only possible downsides I can think of would be slowness in getting away in the spring (cold wet) and it would 'cut up' quicker if sports were played hard on it. I have a standard lawn, the only thing extra in it is a small amount of mint (as in mint sauce with lamb) by the back door. Every time you cut or even walk over it you get the scent.

Good luck with your reseed.

[Torino 14]

I have a lot of clover in my lawn.  It does stay greener when it is dry but what I have noticed is it can't take much traffic especially in the winter.  Now there may be different kinds that could do better.  It would be funny to grow a lawn full.  I bet my neighbors would love me.

[AMC RULES 37,141]

Bees would.    

Edited November 13, 2013 by AMC RULES

[AMC RULES 37,141]

Early this spring, I noticed our back yard had an unusual amout of clover come up. 

I decided to only mow the perimeter, leaving the majority of it uncut a few weeks to let the clover come in. 

While looking back through this years picts...I noticed we had a lot of critters stopping by for a visit.

Our first baby bunny since we've lived here(too bad a red tail hawk got him early on though), a baby woodchuck, three fawns, and the two baby skunks under the   shed.

Not to mention, a whole plethora of them little red horses too.     

Interesting how such a little yard supports such a diverse amount of wildlife...can't help but think letting the clover come in has something to do with it. Lets hope that clover comes back heavy again next summer.    

Edited November 13, 2013 by AMC RULES